Liverpool Shipping Branch member Frank Murphy belatedly received his 50 year medal recently from retired national secretary Steve Todd two years after he retired in 2019. Frank had been an active member of the NUS and RMT for over 55 years and was the eighth longest active member in the entire union and the longest active seafarer member at time of retirement. He first went away to sea on July 20 1964 on The Empress of England as a laundry boy. He then went on to work on various cargo ships until 1966 when the National Seamans strike began. His first job after the strike was onboard the 'Golfito' to the West Indies. He then went to work for Cunard and Empress ships with former RMT National Secretary Tony Santamera and union activist Frank Fearon. Frank then worked on various ships including the brand new Cunard flagship 'QE2' before he settled on 'home trade' ships sailing from Hull, Felixstowe and finally Harwich onboard Stena Britannica. He took part in another bitter National Strike in 1988/89 and stood solidly with his Dover comrades through terrible intimidation by P&O Ferries who tried to destroy the NUS by sequestration of its assets. His comrades and colleagues wish him a long and happy retirement. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2022 :: RMTnews 26 RMT organiser Ian Boyle receives his 25-year badge from assistant national secretary Mark Carden and retired national secretary Steve Todd 25 FOR IAN FIFTY YEARS FOR FRANK Election of RMT relief regional organiser GLEN HART (Morden & Oval) Andover & Salisbury Rail; Bakerloo Line; Basingstoke No. 1; Bristol; Camden No. 3; Central Line East; Central Line West; Croydon No. 1; Dorset Rail; Dover District General Grades; Dover Shipping; East London Rail; Euro Passenger Services; Exeter Rail; Finsbury Park; Hammersmith & City; Harlesden Engineering; Jubilee South; LU Engineering; LU Fleet; Morden & Oval; Neasden; Newport IOW No. 2; Piccadilly & District West; Plymouth No. 1; Portsmouth; Reading; RMT Heathrow Express; South East Essex; South Hants & Eastleigh Workshops; Surrey & Hants; TfL No. 1 & LU MATS; Waltham Cross & District; Wimbledon IVOR RIDDELL (Medway & District General Grades) Ashford No. 1; Bletchley & Northampton; Bridgend Llantrisant & District; Bridgwater Bus, Cardiff No. 7; Chiltern Line; Colchester & District; Dartford & District; East Kent; East Sussex Coastway; Euston No. 1; Exeter No. 2; Falmouth Bus; Feltham; Gloucester; Great Northern Rail; Hastings & Tonbridge; Ipswich; Kings Cross; Lewisham Southwark & District; London & Orient Engineering; London Anglia & Midland Transport; March & District; Medway & District General Grades; North Thames LT&S; Norwich; Orpington; Paddington No. 1; Ramsgate Workshops; South Devon Bus; South London Rail; Southampton Shipping; St Pancras; Swansea No. 1; Three Bridges; Transport for Cornwall; Watford; Wolverton Election of RMT Midlands regional organiser JOHN WATSON (Derby Rail & Engineering) Birmingham Engineering; Birmingham Rail; Burton-on-Trent No. 1; Coventry No. 1; Derby Rail & Engineering; East Midland Central; Leamington; Nuneaton; Solihull Taxi Drivers; Wolverhampton; Worcester No. 1